Appendix I

24

1. FIELD EXPERIMENTS IN 1961

Korpa

Korpa, the Experimental Station of the Department of Agriculture, University of Iceland Research Institute, is not far from the former RALA Headquarters at Keldnaholt. The site was a former wetland which was drained with drainage ditches and the turf layer removed and the soil prepared for sowing. At Korpa there were a total of around 300 plots with oat and wheat trials in 1961. There were no experiments with barley at Korpa in that year.

Oats

One experiment with 53 introduced varieties was seeded on 19 and 20 May which in most years is too late for sufficient ripening. Of the 53 varieties, 26 could be harvested on 6 and 7 October. At 130 kg N and 25 kg P, the variety Orion gave the highest yield, or 1.22 t ha-1, the low yield mainly due to the late seeding date. In a second experiment with 18 European varieties, with four replications and 72 plots, only 25 plots were ripe enough to be harvested. The highest yielding varieties were Blixt from Sweden and Kytö from Finland. There was also a trial with four oat varieties, tested with six different rates of fertilizers, sown on 19 May. Yield of the best three varieties varied from 0.8 to 1.2 t ha-1. The increase in yield when P fertilizer was raised from 18 to 25 kg ha-1 was 150 kg ha-1. Another experiment was laid out for measuring various parameters: earliness, height, shattering and lodging. There were significant differences between the varieties with respect to the different parameters measured. Graphs with the results were presented in meetings with farmers and agricultural advisers. Another experiment tested varieties × fertilizer rates (NPK) with 24 variables, four replications in 96 plots, using the quadruple- partially balanced lattice square design. These were all statistically analysed and the results used in recommendations and presentations but never published.

Wheat

The breeding effort at Korpa included 40 plots with segregating F3 lines provided by Drs. Thorvaldur Johnson and Bjorn Petursson of the Rust Research Laboratory, Manitoba, Canada. There were trials with 45 varieties which came from Weibull Seed Co. Sweden and from breeding stations in Norway and Finland. The highest yields were from the Canadian variety Selkirk, or 1.54 t ha-1, a Weibull line from Sweden, 1.3 t ha-1, Apu, Finland, 2.0 t ha-1 and Vakka, Finland 1.86 t ha-1. The experiments were seeded on 7 May and harvested 4-5 October. The fertilizer rates were 60 N, 100 P and no K. The Manitobans also provided 26 F3 lines from Dr. Kaufmann, Lacombe Alberta, Canada. No results for these lines are available.

Gunnarsholt

The area is located just south of the volcano Hekla. The bulk of the cereal trials in1961 were carried out at Gunnarsholt, the Headquarters of the State Soil Conservation Service, with emphasis on barley. There were also trials with oats and wheat. The experiments on barley were duplicated with one set on cultivated hayfields and the other on the eroded sands surrounding Gunnarsholt. These eroded lands were common throughout the area south of the volcano Hekla, until the Soil Conservation Service succeeded in bringing most of the area under vegetative cover.

Cultivated hay lands – The highest yields in barley were found for the varieties Jøtun, 2.59 t ha-1 , Fløya 2.22 t ha-1 and Edda 2.0 t ha-1, all 6-row varieties from Norway. Sandy soil – The highest yielding varieties were Herta, a 2-row variety with 2.75 t ha-1, Edda, a 6-row variety with 2.0 t ha-1, both from Sweden and Jøtun with 1.99 t ha-1, a 6-row variety from Norway, all at the highest N fertilizer application, 130 kg ha-1. There was a linear increase in yields as rates of N fertilizer increased.

The following are examples of results from barley experiments on loam and sandy soils at Gunnarsholt in 1961: Lodging: The effect of increased N on the cultivar Edda: With 50 to 90 kg N ha-1 the score given went from 100 (no lodging) to 80, but increasing N from 90 to 130 kg ha-1 did not result in more lodging. Lodging decreased with increasing levels of P Shattering: There was a linear increase in shattering with an increase from 50 to 130 kg N ha-1 . Another experiment with 6 varieties showed that shattering increased with higher levels of both N and P. The rate of shattering was higher in 6-row than 2-row varieties. Ripening: There was a linear delay in ripening with an increase in N from 50 to 90 kg ha-1 but no further delay in ripening when the rate was increased to 130 kg ha-1. The speed of ripening differed much between the loam and sandy soils. The scores given for ripening were six times higher on the eroded sand compared to the old hayfields, regardless of levels of N fertilizer. Spacing: A study on the effect of spacing using the 2-row variety Herta showed a yield of 1.9 t ha-1 at 15 cm and 0.9 t ha-1 at 45 cm. Yield: Sandy soil: On eroded sands there was a linear increase in yield from 1.1 to 1.4 t ha-1 with increasing rates of N fertilizer applications from 50 to 130 kg ha-1 and P to 25 kg ha-1. At 18 kg ha-1 P the yield of the variety Edda increased linearly from 0.65 to 1.3 t ha-1 with rates of N at 50, 90 and 130 kg ha-1. The 2-row variety Herta showed an increase in yield from 0.75 to 1.35 t ha-1 as N rate increased from 50 to 90 kg ha-1, but its yields decreased at higher levels of N fertilizer. Another experiment on the sandy soil with four replications was sown on 18 May. Applications of 25 kg ha-1 of P with N levels rising from 90 to 130 kg ha-1 gave an increase in yield in the highest 2-row varieties from 1.2 to 1.9 t ha-1. An increase in N from 50 to 90 had no effect. Two 6-row varieties increased from 1.0 to 1.4 t ha-1 when N increased from 50 to 130 kg ha-1. Another experiment with barley on the sand with 6 varieties and four replications and variable levels of both N and P showed an increase in yield from 0.75 to 1.1 t ha-1 at 90 kg P and 0.94 to 1.35 t ha-1 at 130 kg P ha-1 when N was increased from 50-130 kg ha-1 . Loam soil: In a barley experiment, seeded 30 May, an increase in P from 18 to 25 kg ha-1 raised yield from 0.65 to 0.8 t ha-1 while increasing N had no effect. These low yields primarily reflect the late sowing date, with the plants not reaching full maturity. With sowing dates in early May at 25 kg P and 50, 90, and 130 kg N ha-1 the 6-row varieties Fløya yielded 1.4 to 2.6 t ha-1, Edda 0.75 to 1.95 t ha-1 and Jøtun 1.7 to 1.9 t ha-1, whereas the 2-row Herta variety decreased in yield from 1.75 to 1.15 t ha-1 mostly due to its late ripening.

Table A1. Overall summary of highest barley yields at Gunnarsholt in t ha-1 in 1961.

Variety Sandy soil Loam soil Former Hayfields Herta 2-row 1.91 0.63 0.63 Jøtun 6-row 1.38 1.28 1.92 Edda 6-row 1.41 1.00 1.97 Fløya 6-row 1.08 1.28 2.07

Yield trials with 36 oat varieties were conducted on eroded, sandy soil. The variety Orion III gave the highest yield or 4.25 t ha-1. The three next highest gave 3.6, 3.5 and 3.1 t ha-1. On 14 May, 45 varieties of wheat were seeded on eroded sandy soil and were harvested 4-5 October. There is no information on performance available. In retrospect, looking at these results, one wonders why farmers did not pay more attention to growing oats.

2. FIELD EXPERIMENTS IN 1962

Breeding of barley, oats and wheat with selection of lines from both hybridization and progeny from radiation treatments

Some hybridization was attempted at the Korpa Experimental Station in Reykjavik, but without greenhouse facilities this was difficult to do. Like in 1961 most of the breeding material was provided by colleagues abroad. Prof. Sigurdur Helgason at the University of Manitoba did hybridizations on material we sent to him. The F1 material was grown at Gunnarsholt. A classmate of the author, Prof. Peter Dyck of the University of Manitoba, then director of an experimental station in Ottawa, hybridized some selected oat varieties, the F2 of which were grown and selected from at Gunnarsholt. Drs. Thorvaldur Johnson and Bjorn Petursson of the Rust Research Laboratory in Manitoba again provided both hybridized and irradiated wheat material. The Manitoba scientists, with the exception of Peter Dyck, being of Icelandic lineage were especially interested in helping with the breeding work. Prof. Arne Hagberg, Svalöf, Sweden sent us segregating material and mutants of barley. Further selections were made in the composite cross population of barley obtained from the USDA in California and the selected spike progenies planted in the spring of 1963 and again in 1964. After that the unfavourable weather conditions resulted in steadily reduced number of the plants reaching sufficient maturity to produce fertile seeds. There were 10 trials devoted to selection in segregating lines provided by our overseas colleagues, all located at Gunnarsholt. Breeding test no. 116-62 compared the progeny of three Swedish barley crosses with the 2-row variety Herta. Trial no. 117-62 had 20 selected M3 lines of irradiated wheat from Manitoba with the Finnish variety Apu as control in every 5th row. The M2 generation had been grown at Korpa the year before. No. 118-62 compared six breeding lines of wheat with introduced varieties, all from Sweden and Finland. Trial no. 119-62 tested M2 Pembina wheat lines from Canada which had been treated with gamma rays. No. 120-62 had four segregating wheat lines together with four wheat cultivars. Trial no. 121-62 had 39 M3 lines of irradiated wheat, the seed taken from the same plants at Korpa from which selection lines were sown in trial 117-62. In trial no. 123-62, 1700 g of the California composite barley cross seeds were planted in 30 m rows. In trial no. 124-62 there were selections from Sweden of eight crosses with the 6-row barley variety Edda. Each selection was planted in three 3-m rows. Trial no. 125-62 had 13 selections in 6 m2 plots from barley crosses obtained from Finland and Sweden. No. 126-62 had 42 advanced lines of oats from Finland for selection. In trial no. 127-62 there were 19 F1 lines from hybridization between two oat varieties. Another trial no. 128-62 compared 6 selections of hybridized oats. The last of these series, trial no. 129-62, compared 12 oat selections from Finland.

Comparison of cultivars and lines

Four experiments were made with about 100 varieties of barley, oats and wheat in randomized blocks with 4 replicates and 6 m2 plot sizes. There were also a number of observational trials with additional varieties and lines. As all the varieties in these trials are now obsolete, there is no point in presenting analysis of their performance now, 50 years later. It is interesting to note that in most of the comparative trials with wheat, the two Manitoba varieties Selkirk and Pembina yielded higher than varieties from Norway, Sweden and Finland.

Fertilizer trials

Studies were made on the effect of different rates of NPK fertilizers on development, yield and various other parameters using some of the main barley cultivars then used in farmers´ fields. The results were used in recommendations to farmers and agricultural advisers.

Country-wide trials

The main location besides Korpa and Gunnarsholt was Skógasandur, east of Gunnarsholt where three experiments were carried out, comparing cultivars and different levels of fertilizers. A total of 15 smaller-scale trials were carried out at 11 locations throughout Iceland with the assistance of agricultural advisers, both at the State Experimental Stations and on farmers’ fields.

3. FIELD EXPERIMENTS IN 1963

Korpa

No. 002-63. A comparison trial with 24 barley varieties in a randomized- block design with four replications, 96 plots, 6m2. The highest yield was Sigur, 1.45 t ha-1. Most varieties ranged from 0.5 to 0.9 t ha-1 . 013-63. In a trial comparing 12 oat varieties, the highest yield was 0.76 t ha-1 . 123-63. Comparative trials with 18 barley varieties, 12 lines from the USSR and 6 other lines. A similar trial was made with 25 oat varieties.

A breeding project with hybridizations done 19-25 July using the barley varieties Asa, Edda II, Olli × Fløya, Sigur, Gateway, Union, Herta and Mari. The F1 seeds were planted in 1964 at Korpa.

Gunnarsholt

Sandy soils. No. 001-63. Comparative trial with 18 varieties of barley. The highest yields were in Goliat and Union, both 2.0 t ha-1 and Mari 1.64 t ha-1 .

No. 009-63. Comparative trial with 40 varieties of barley and one wheat variety. The trial was completely destroyed by drought and sand storms. No. 017-63. Comparative trial with 10 oat and one wheat variety. The highest oat yield was Pendek 0.45 t ha-1. No information is available on the Selkirk wheat. There were three experiments with different fertilizer rates of N, P and K for barley with 24 plots. The mean yield in one experiment was around 0.5 t ha-1. Another experiment tested very high fertilizer rates, up to 700 kg N, 120 kg P and

200 kg K ha-1 on 2-row barley on eroded sand soil. There is no information on yield but ripening was drastically slowed down by the highest rates.

Skógasandur

The fate of the experiment testing different sowing times, 018-63, has been related above. Other experiments were the following: 003-63. Comparison of 6 barley and 4 oat varieties with 40 plots, 20 m2 each. The highest barley yield was Proctor from the UK, 0.8 t ha-1 and the oat variety Blixt from Sweden, 1.25 t ha-1 . 008-63. Comparative trial with 18 wheat varieties and one 2-row barley and one rye variety, 36 plots, 6 m2 each. The highest yielding wheat was line M.G.H. with 0.3 t ha-1. The barley variety Herta had 0.52 t ha-1. The rye did not survive. 014-63. Study on different fertilizer rates using Herta barley with four replications and 32 plots, 10 m2 each. The rates were 100 and 200 kg N; 20, 40 and 60 kg P, and 10 and 50 kg K ha-1. The highest fertilizer rate gave the highest yield, 1.0 t ha-1, the lowest score for ripening, the highest 1000 kernel weight and the strongest straw. The lowest rate gave the lowest figures in all properties except ripening where it was the highest. The agricultural adviser for the area, Einar Thorsteinsson, reported on the cereal fields grown by farmers on Skógasandur in 1963: Herta barley on 28 ha with 0.3 t ha-1 ; Same oats on 2 ha with 0.4 t ha-1; Norrøna wheat on 3 ha with 0.5 t ha-1. On the nearby farm Thorvaldseyri, barley on 2.5 ha on better soils gave a yield of 1.5 t ha-1 .

Country-wide trials on experimental farms and in farmers’ fields

Like in 1962, cereal trials were carried out by agricultural advisers, heads of Experiment Stations and farmers at different places in Iceland in collaboration with the University of Iceland Research Institute. These trials were located in the following sites: South- Iceland: - Thórustaðir near Selfoss. Trial with five barley varieties, six plots, 10 m2 each. No results are available.

- Mýrdalssandur, near Hafursey (the large black desert sand created by the Katla eruption in 1918).

Three barley varieties and one each of oats and wheat, 10 plots, 6 m2. The supervisor, agricultural adviser Einar Thorsteinsson, reported that „this trial came out negatively for Mýrdalssandur“. - Öræfi (Kvísker and Fagurhólsmýri). Trial with two varieties each of oats, barley and wheat, 12 plots, 6 m2, 2 reps. at each location. Wheat (Apu) was also sown at Svínafell. The supervisor

Halldór Björnsson, the farmer at Kvísker reported: „Harvested on 16 September. The yield was very low. Highest number of spikes in a plot was 10, most on wheat and least on oats. Too few grains to bother weighing. Other remarks: Bonus (Swedish barley): Very little vegetative volume.

Clear signs of nutritive deficiencies. The kernels were few but fully formed. Eko oats: Reasonable growth, some of the kernels fully ripe, others green. Apu wheat: Small growth, small shrunken kernels. The yield of the barley was 0.4 t ha-1“. East- Iceland: - Egilsstaðir. Trial with 30 barley varieties. 30 plots with 2 rows each. Supervisor: Páll

Sigbjörnsson, the agricultural adviser for the area. He reported that he had harvested the plots with sheep shearing scissors. The highest yield was 0.64 t ha-1 in the variety Union.

- Fljótsdalshérað (Breiðavað). Trial with nine barley, two oat and one wheat varieties, 48 plots, 6 m 2, four replications. Supervisor same as above. Highest yield by Edda, 1.1 and Fløya 1.0 t ha-1 .

Another trial with different fertilizer rates on a drained bog in Eiðathing. The fertilizer rates tested were 30 and 60 kg N ha-1, 8, 24 and 40 kg P ha-1 and 25 kg K ha-1, two barley varieties in two replicates with 36 plots, 6 m2 each, also carried out by Pall who reported that the trial was quite successful except that germination was rather poor due to insufficient cultivation of the soil. At the end of September the 2-row varieties were poorly mature but the 6-row varieties more advanced.

Pall also reported that before harvesting could be attempted the geese had already been there ruining the trials by stocking up on energy before the transatlantic flight to Britain. - Skriðuklaustur, a State Experimental Farm, south of Egilsstaðir. A trial with six barley varieties and two rates of N and P fertilizers. Supervisor Matthías Eggertsson. No results were reported. North-east Iceland: - North -Thingeyjarsýsla, Sandfellshagi and Ærlækjarsel farms. A trial with five barley and two oat varieties on both loam soil and on eroded sand carried out by the agricultural adviser, Grímur

Jónsson. He reported that the trial had been damaged by sheep. On 29 August the spikes had just emerged. - South- Thingeyjarsýsla. Öxará farm. A trial with eight barley and two oat varieties in 40 plots, 6m2 each, carried out by Skafti Benediktsson, agricultural adviser for the district and the beef cattle farmer at Fosshóll, Bjarni Pétursson. Probably failed as there are no results reported. North- Iceland: - Akureyri. On the State Experiment Station, two trials, supervised by the station Head, Árni

Jónsson, were carried out on barley and another one on oats and wheat. Probably failed as there is no information on results.

- Skagafjörður, Messuholt farm. A fertilizer trial with four barley and one oat variety carried out by the agricultural adviser, Sigurthór Hjörleifsson. There were three different soil types: drained bog, loam and gravelly sand. Sigurthór reported that on 28 August the spikes had not emerged and that the stands were very thin. „hopeless to expect ripening“. (note: in 2012 this location was one of the most successful grain growing areas in Iceland). North-west Iceland: - Húnavatnssýslur, Barkarstaðir farm. A fertilizer trial with six barley and one each of oats, wheat and rye varieties. A total of 71 plots, 6.6 m2 each, carried out by Ragnar Benediktsson. Sown on 23

April. No results reported. - Akur, Haukagil and Hvammur farms. Trials with four barley and one oat variety carried out at the three locations, two on loam soil, one on gravelly sand carried out by the agricultural adviser,

Sigfús Thorsteinsson. On 28 August he reported that sheep had damaged the plots, the vegetative growth was vigorous but no hopes that the grain will ripen. - Teigingalækur and Prestbakki farms. There were trials with four barley varieties on both farms where the highest yield was in the X-ray mutant variety Mari with 1.9 t ha-1 on the former and 2.32 t ha-1 on the latter farm.

- Strandasýsla on the farms Fjarðarhorn, Fell and Staður. Trials with four barley and one oat variety at the three locations were carried out by Brynjólfur Sæmundsson, the agricultural adviser. There were 30 plots, 6 m2 at each location. Brynjólfur reported that on 26 October it was confirmed that none of the trials had resulted in mature grains.

South-west Iceland: - Bæjarsveit, carried out by Magnús Óskarsson, teacher at the Farmers School, Hvanneyri. There was a trial with three barley varieties and eight combinations of fertilizer rates. The highest yield was 0.61 t ha-1 for the 6-row Edda variety. - Kiðafell farm, 30 km north of Korpa Experimental Station. A trial with four barley and one oat variety, 10 plots, 6 m2 on a dry river bank carried out by the farmer, Hjalti Sigurbjörnsson. Sowing time was 17 May on a cold day. Hjalti reported that on 21 October he went to harvest the plots and discovered that geese had completely eaten all the plants and then headed for more favourable weather conditions.

- Akranes, a town across the Faxaflói bay from Reykjavik. A trial with two varieties each of barley and oats, eight plots, 6 m2, carried out by Halldór Stefánsson. No results are available.

It would seem that the bad weather and the migrant geese had teamed up to ruin much of the experimental plots around Iceland in 1963.